Red Wine Carpet Stain at the Holiday Party?

Few things are more embarrassing for guests — and more worrisome for holiday hosts — than the dreaded spilled glass of red wine. As a host, you don't want to appear to be fussing over a spill, because it can stress your guests. On the other hand, if you ignore a red wine spill, there's a good chance the stain will set. While you may need professional help to completely remove the stain, there are steps you can take to minimize the damage of a red wine spill on carpet or upholstery:

• Blot the spill as much as possible. We recommend a white towel — it helps you see whether you're still removing liquid, and it eliminates any possibility of color transfer from the towel to the spill area.
• Do not scrub the area. Scrubbing can fray the carpet fiber, which damages it and can make the stain harder to remove.
• Clean the area. If you don't have a wet-dry vac or other liquid extractor, use club soda: the carbonation helps lift the stain to the top of the fiber, where you can continue blotting. If you do have a wet-dry vac, flush the area with warm water and use the extractor function to remove water and wine.
• Schedule a professional carpet cleaning as soon as possible. This is critical even if the stain appears completely removed — wine can get down into the pad and reappear over time.

Have a stain that won't budge? Our specialty stain removal team has seen it all — "If we can't get it out, no one can."